Wolverhampton licensed private hire vehicle suspended after illegal tyre found in Liverpool city centre check
- Perry Richardson
- 1 day ago
- 1 min read
A Wolverhampton-licensed private hire vehicle (PHV) was suspended by Liverpool Licensing Enforcement Officers after being found with an illegal tyre during a city centre operation. The vehicle licence was immediately suspended and the driver will be reported for the offence.
According to UK law, vehicle tyres must meet strict safety requirements. The minimum legal tread depth for cars is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre, around the entire circumference. Tyres must also be free from cuts, lumps or bulges and must be inflated to the correct pressure. Driving with illegal tyres can lead to fines of up to £2,500 per tyre and three penalty points per offence.
Local authorities have the power to suspend a vehicle licence on the spot if a PHV is found to be unsafe.
Despite being licensed in Wolverhampton, the driver was lawfully working in Liverpool. This is due to existing cross-border rules that allow PHVs to operate outside their licensing area, provided the booking was made through an operator based in the vehicle’s licensing authority. This has long been a point of contention among councils, trade groups and enforcement teams, who argue that such arrangements undermine local standards and enforcement control.
A Liverpool City Council Licensing spokesperson said: “Liverpool Licensing Enforcement Officers on Friday evening had cause to speak to a Wolverhampton PHV driver operating in the city centre and discovered that his vehicle had this illegal tyre - vehicle licence was suspended and driver is to be reported for the offence - no excuse!”
